Aloe Vera Plant Care

The Aloe Vera plant makes a great choice for growing at home. It's easy to look after, and has some interesting side benefits.

Many people think aloe vera is a cactus, but it's actually a cousin of the lily and onion family. It has a short stem, with thick spiky green leaves that grow out from the stem like the petals of a rose. It's known as a succulent perennial and usuallly grows to about 2 or 3 foot tall. It is usually found predominantly in hot, dry climates.

The leaves of the aloe vera plant can grow to over a foot long and about 3 inches across. The leaves are thick and fleshy and hold a lot of water, which means the aloe vera plant can survive extended periods of drought. In all, there are roughly 200 species of aloe, although the plant that has come to be cultivated the most is Aloe Barbadensis Miller, also known as aloe vera or literally, 'true aloe'. You'll find it growing across Texas, Mexico and around the Mediterranean.

Aloe vera plant care is pretty straightforward. They like warm climates and plenty of sunshine. They do not like over-watering or temperatures below zero. They are very hardy plants, and since they are succulents (they hold water in their leaves and roots) they don't need a lot of water. In fact they seem to thrive on very little. A sunny part of the garden, or south facing window would be ideal.

You should be able to purchase an aloe vera plant near you, at a garden store or nursery. Some aloe vera plants have small white markings on the leaf. This is nothing to worry about, and will fade as the plant gets older. Look for a healthy plant, with thick leaves and dry soil. You certainly don't want to give aloe vera plants too much water, and in the winter, even less. So make sure the roots aren't waterlogged, and the soil is sandy.

Aloes are unlikely to get root-bound, but do place them into larger pots as they grow. They like some room in their containers. A mature aloe vera plant will be about 4 years old may get to be about 3 foot high. The leaves grow from the inside of the rosette towards the outside. Occasionally the larger leaves on the outside will droop, and these can be cut away easily.

Once you have an aloe vera plant, you'll have many! You'll find that you'll get lots of aloe vera pups - small plants that grow from the lower part of the main plant. You'll have to remove these gently and re-pot them, or give them to your friends. They make great gifts! If you leave them with the main aloe vera, they can sap too much energy from the main aloe and cause it to wither.

With a little care and attention, aloe vera plants can live for many years, and provide a fascinating addition to your home or garden, as well as a wonderful source of aloe vera gel. To obtain this gel, just remove one of the lower leaves, cut it in half along its length, and rub the inner pulp over the affected area of skin.